Establishing an effective hydrological model is important for guiding the design of small-scale drainage systems. The simulation principle and the sensitivity of key parameters of DRAINMOD model were summarized from four aspects:Hydrological characteristics, nitrogen transport, salt transport and model cooperation. The research application progresses of DRAINMOD model and its coupled model at home and abroad were systematically reviewed, and the limitations and development trends of the model were discussed. It is pointed out that DRAINMOD model has good simulation performance in the fields of agricultural drainage, nitrogen removal and stain reduction. In the simulation of cold area or urban stormwater regulation, domestic research needs to reference from foreign research results. The research suggests that the key research directions of DRAINMOD model could be summarized as the following aspects:
Simulating the migration of phosphorus, organic micro-pollutants and heavy metal elements and their impacts on soil and crops;
Mechanism research on the freezing-thawing of snow and application in cold regions;
Application in the construction of urban stormwater regulation facilities.